Device for preventing snow-drifts.



B. P. SWBZBY. DEVICE PoR PREVENTING SNOW DRIFTs.

APPLICATION FILED IANA, 1913. 1,108,943.

Patented sept. 1,1914.

WJTNESSES BENJAMIN swfnzlnY, or iantLINerrAivr,V MINNESOTA.;

DEVICE ron PREVENTING sNow-DRIrrs.rv

Specification OfLetters Patent. p Application ined January 4, 1913. serial No. 740,233;

ff y,PatentedSept. 1914,

To all 'whom t mag/concern: r

Be it knownthatI, BENJAMIN F. Swnznr, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Bellingham, in the county of Lac qui Parle and Statev of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in kDevices for Preventingk bfnow# Drifts, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to means for keeping railroad cuts free from snow drifts and the like, and has forits object the production-of a simple and efficient means which maybe placed upon the banks of the cut in such a manneras to drive the snow from the cut and cause the snowtok be blown beyond the same. Y v

'Another object of this invention is the production of a simple and efficient shield or deiector which may swing from side toV side so as to accommodate itself tothe direction in which thewind is blowing.

With these and other objects in view, this invention consists of certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings zffFigure 1 is a ,perspec-f tive view of a portion of the railroad-cut showing the manner n shields are mounted upon the banks of the cut. Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the cut showingthe defiectors in side elevation. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective of onel of the detlectors, and Fig. 4: is a top plan view of one of the deflectors.

By referring to Fig. l, it will be seen that the deflectors are mounted in a series along the sides of the railroad cut in such a manner as to cause the wind," when blowing across the cut, to strike the: deflectors and follow the course of the cut along the bottom thereof and drive the snow or other accumulated matter up on vthe adjacent bank.

A plurality of anchoring posts lv 'are placed along the edge of the bank7 and within these anchoring posts are secured supporting rods, journal portions or standards 2, having collar portions 3 formed thereon to limit the downward movement of the journal portions 2 relative to the anchoring posts 1. A shield supporting head l 1s carried by each standard 2 and this shield supporting head is rigidly fixed upon thestandard. The shield supporting head 41s proin which thel windl 6 are bent downwardly, as indicated at 7, so

i vided an upwardly,l extending centrally n as to project through the reduced ends 8 of .ofr thelheadt, and nuts 9A are threaded ,on thev ends tol constitute .means for holding thejarms in engagement with. the boss `5. The forward ends ofthe supporting arms 6 arebent upwardly toconstitute shield supporting fingers l0, and uponthese shield supporting lingers 10 is journaled the shield ll. Thiseshield l1 is provided near its upper and lower corners` with a pluralityA of rolled portions l2, whichconstitutemeans for gripping the "fingers l0, whereby the shield willybe firmly held in engagement with the. lingers l0. The` side; edges of the shieldll extend rearwardly, as indicated'at 13, to constitute a broad wind engaging portion, so as to kallow the shield to kbe freely acted upon and swung by the wind coming in contact therewith. y j

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that` owing to y ll is so4 mounted upon the anchoring post l and standard 2,`the shield ll may swing to any desired anglek `so -as to accommodate itselfto a'ny direction in which the wind is y the rear faces of the deiiectors ll and-will be 'thrown upon the sides of the bank and prevented from falling upon the track. If, however, the snow should so fall uponthe track, causing a downward air current, will drive the snowwup the opposite bank and keep the track clear for the passage of trains. Of course, it should be understood that as many of these deiiectors as are illustrated in Fig. l may be used, only four being shown for the purpose of illustration in the present instance.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that a very simple and elicient device has been produced, kwhereby considerable labor will be saved on the part of the railroadsand the like wherein it is necessary to clear the cuts from the snow in order to allow traliic to pass therethrough. By emthe wind,` by constantly blowing and the fact that the shield ploying the device as illustrated the present application, it should be understood that the necessity of employing manual means for clearing the cuts willbe eliminated, ow the shields as set forth will constitutefautomatic means forkeeping ing to the fact that the cuts clear and clean from snow drifts or other accumulated substances.` Of course,

it should be understood that the present del vice may be applied -to road cuts other than railroad cuts and still perform the same function as described. with vreference to a railroad cut.

Having thus described theinvention, what is claimed as new, is l. A device of the class described comp'rising a support, a wind shield anda plurality of supporting arms secured to'said wind shield and adapted to swing `from side to side relative to 'said support, whereby said shield may be brought in efficient engagement Vwith the wind according to the direction "in which fthe wind is traveling.

l Copies of: this patent ard, a head may be obtained for five cents each, rbyaddressing; the

cn the latter for facilitating the swinging of said shield from side to side.

ll. A device of the class described comprising an anchor member, a supporting standsecurely mounted thereon and provided with a central boss portion, a plurality of arms journaled on the head and a shield, said armsbeing provided with upwardly extending outer ends engaging said shield, said shield being provided with a plurality of rolled ears `fitting over said upwardly extending ends, and said arms being adapted to' facilitate the swinging of said shield fromside to side. f

5. A device of the class described comprising an anchor member, a supporting standard, "alliead ixedly mounted thereon and provided with a central boss portion, a plurality of arms journaled on the head anda shield, Vsaid arms being provided with upwardlyextending outer ends engagingsaid shield, said shield being provided with a plurality of rolled ears fitting over saidupwardly extending ends, said arms being adapted to facilitate the swinging of said shield vfrom side to side and said shield being provided with rearwardly extending portions constituting broad wind engaging wings.

Initestimony whereof I hereunto aHiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DR. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN SWEZEY.

Witnesses y v O'rfro H. HORN, R. TIMPE.

Commissioner of '.Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

